EMP – multiplayer game

[EMP]

Seems as though there should be some interaction, to me. A mission based on a Generation Ship would be highly interesting...

I envision that missions in EMP would be set up something along these lines:

Nova Mission
To all trade ships : Star Quothan C in the Dicemari system is expected to go Nova at 3012-10-24 15:55:00, an opportunity exists to take passengers out of this system.
To Thargoid vessels: Star Quothan C in the Dicemari system is expected to go Nova at 3012-10-24 15:55:00, an opportunity exists to blockade the Alderson Points and prevent ships from fleeing the system.

This means that multiple players will be converging on the same system, setting them up for a nice multiplayer battle to rescue the system inhabitants.
If it was a superNova I could replace the star with a Neutron Star, Quark Star or Black Hole after the event, which would maintain the tramlines into the system.

The selected system would need to be near the outer rim of the star chart so that the Thargoid players can easily get there without being harassed.


I could also put large bounties on the players who shoot up the new players to the game, it could be automatic so that the game becomes self policing.

Generation Ships: Before the development of the WS Thru-Space drive, in all its various forms, interstellar travel occurred in large, self-sustaining environment ships - Generation Ships - most of which have now been logged and their progress monitored. There are more than seventy thousand of these immense vessels ploughing their way through the galaxy, some of them into their 30th generation. The penalty for interference with such a vessel is marooning.

Things must have been really bad on Earth for them to produce that many Generation Ships.
Must have been the pollution caused by the production of those Generation Ships that did it.

I was planning to have different generation ships in the game rather than just the one model, but only a few.
With the ships being in-system (there is no witch-space in EMP), the possiblity of marooning is zero.

[Selezen]

But it would be battered by millions and millions of micro-meteorites, and a dozen types of radiation, and what-have-you. The result could look pretty similar. We're talking about centuries in space, without outside maintenance.

Of course, there is ONE ship that has survived 3 million years in deep space without so much as a paint chip...

[Smivs]

Of course, there is ONE ship that has survived 3 million years in deep space without so much as a paint chip...

That's only because it has been kept nice and clean

[Diziet Sma]

Generation Ships: Before the development of the WS Thru-Space drive, in all its various forms, interstellar travel occurred in large, self-sustaining environment ships - Generation Ships - most of which have now been logged and their progress monitored. There are more than seventy thousand of these immense vessels ploughing their way through the galaxy, some of them into their 30th generation. The penalty for interference with such a vessel is marooning.

Things must have been really bad on Earth for them to produce that many Generation Ships.
Must have been the pollution caused by the production of those Generation Ships that did it.

Well, the impression I got was that many civilisations & species had launched them, not just Earth..

Another interesting point, if nobody has "interfered" with Gen Ships, how does GalCop know some are into their 30th generation? Like all Government organisations, it's "do as I say, not do as I do", I guess..

[Commander McLane]

Another interesting point, if nobody has "interfered" with Gen Ships, how does GalCop know some are into their 30th generation?

Simple algebra?

time since launch of generation ship, divided by average length of a generation of the species in question

Voilà.

[Diziet Sma]

Curses! Foiled by logic.. yet again..



Edit: Hang on a sec.. if they haven't contacted the occupants, how do they know when it launched, where it launched from, or what species is aboard?

[Commander McLane]

Edit: Hang on a sec.. if they haven't contacted the occupants, how do they know when it launched, where it launched from, or what species is aboard?

I'd expect them to consult the records, where I'd expect to find the launch time, initial destination, and name of each Generation Ship. As the name is painted on the ship in HUGE LETTERS, it shouldn't be too hard to trace it back.

[Diziet Sma]

<wanders off muttering to self about 'logic'>



Thanks!

[EMP]

Generation Ships: Before the development of the WS Thru-Space drive, in all its various forms, interstellar travel occurred in large, self-sustaining environment ships - Generation Ships - most of which have now been logged and their progress monitored. There are more than seventy thousand of these immense vessels ploughing their way through the galaxy, some of them into their 30th generation. The penalty for interference with such a vessel is marooning.

Things must have been really bad on Earth for them to produce that many Generation Ships.
Must have been the pollution caused by the production of those Generation Ships that did it.

Well, the impression I got was that many civilisations & species had launched them, not just Earth..

Another interesting point, if nobody has "interfered" with Gen Ships, how does GalCop know some are into their 30th generation? Like all Government organisations, it's "do as I say, not do as I do", I guess..

In Drew Wagar's Oolite Saga, the alien species are all from earth (I guess genetic experiments), which is why the species are birds, lizards, felines, etc.
Even the Thargoids are an insect species originating from Earth. Although I didn't really like that ending to the story - I won't say any more in case you haven't read it yet.

So in EMP, the Thargoids will be alien, and intent on wiping out the other species. Those players that like to attack everything that moves can join the Thargoid alliance.
Generation ships can contain any species, perhaps including some species that didn't reach the known inhabited systems - just not Thargoids.

As for the generation ships themselves, if you can find them, they will be dockable, and you can trade, although you cannot purchase equipment as they will not be producing any.
Now, should Thargoids be allowed to dock? Probably not...

[EMP]

Getting ready for an Arena release version...

Missiles
Missiles now work over the network - implementation passes control to the application instance of the player's ship being fired at, this means that you can launch a missile at an enemy ship and then dock in a station, enter a wormhole, or get blown up, and the missile will continue to home in on its target.

Thargons
Thargon remotes now work over the network - control is by the player's PC. When the remotes lose their target they go stationary for pickup. If the controlling ship is destroyed, they will also go stationary. Transfer of control does not (yet) go to other Thargoid warships.

Electronic Counter Measures
ECM works over the network. If multiple players activate their ECM systems then it is more probable that the missile will be destroyed.

Cloaking Device
Cloaking device works over the network. Your ship darkens but does not go invisible and you disappear off the radar. You can still be shot at and receive damage. Any missiles currently tracking you will self destruct. Any thargons attacking you will stop, but will start up again when the cloaking device is turned off (unless you scoop them first).

Energy Bombs
Implementation is by jettisoning an energy bomb cargo item, and is a similar concept to the Oolite Quirium Cascade Mine but without the cascade effect. They explode in about 9 seconds after deployment. Other players in the vicinity are warned of the deployment so they also have time to flee from the bomb. They are not particularly destructive unless you are very close to the epicentre of the explosion. What is your opinion - too much warning? Bad for multiplayer?

Quirium Cascade Mines
Not implemented
It would be very easy to implement and create the cascade effect of the quirium cascade mine - but would this be suitable for a multiplayer game?
Your thoughts and comments please.

Stations
Stations defend themselves by launching a (presently single) Viper. At present they don't re-dock if their target gets destroyed, so I need to work on the AI in the future.

System Ships
When fired upon, stationary ships or ships following a preset path now power up and defend themselves. More work is needed in the AI to return them to their preset course if their target is destroyed, but for now this was implemented so anyone downloading this game can get a feel for combat in single-player mode.

Cargo Containers
Ships when destroyed drop their cargo bay contents into space. The content of the containers are not yet sent to the other players - that information would need to be queried from the server when the container is scooped.

Player/Player communications
Not yet implemented. But my thoughts are it would work on a channel basis (open channel or channel number). Ships will need to be in range to receive the communication. Perhaps pressing enter will start the text collection and pressing enter again will send. Need some way of choosing the channel to send the comms. Comms might be restricted to your own alliance but then how would the thargoid insults work?

Miscellaneous
I've changed the way the HUD is drawn, from primitive types to sprite batches, in an attempt to get it running on my old laptop.
I've created a box.com account and have started to update the necessary files and resources and will post again when it is ready.


Thoughts on other ship equipment...

Advanced ECM
ECM-A does not destory your own missiles
Would you want this?

Missile Scrambler
Decodes signal and sends incoming missile on an intercept back to the attacking ship.
Probability of working just like ECM - so if two ships have the same device they could have some fun...
Is it worth implementing?

[Cholmondely]

OK, am I the only one attempting this?
No, it is not Oolite
I've been developing this as a hobby since 1992, so development is proceeding but very slowly, with just an hour or two spent per week. Then two years ago I discovered Oolite, and development stopped until I got up to Deadly status.
With the exception of the planet description and Thargoid insult generator, this is all my own code, no Elite or Oolite code has been used or looked at.
Graphics are not as amazing of Oolite, needs some work there.

EMP, Did this ever get off the ground?

[Bepis LaForge]

Looks awesome hows the project coming? @OP

[spud42]

well its been 10 years since the last post by the dev........

[Cholmondely]

Looks awesome

Welcome to the merry throng!

Long time Eliter/Ooliter - or just discovered it?