Game Mechanics and Play

[MarkusHaven]

I've been bouncing ideas around in my head about SC as we all have, and the same questions keep popping up......

In past games I've played there as always been a "balance" to PVP to make the game fun, but the question is fun for who?

All of us want the ability to finish off a ship that we have set out to destroy, but who wants to be the target of many ships and not have the ability to get away? Does anyone know exactly how a dogfight might play out in SC. Will be able to outrun or out maneuver another ship(s). Or will the game simply tell us that we are currently being engaged and "can not do that operation right now" sorta thing? Will there be a "webbing" down of ships that just can't be escaped and you know you are toast. Or is there always a way out if you move around an asteroid just right like in the hornet commercial. "webbing" a ship down or making it incapable of "warping off" just for the sake of interesting gameplay seems cheap and unrealistic. Targeting someones warp drive seems a little more realistic.

I understand that need for careful balance, but I personally don't like the inevitability of destruction several minutes from pushing the ejection button. I would like to think there's always a way to turn the tide or try to escape with only some damage. The cat and mouse chase is just as fun.

[Sora Darcia]

this games mainly going to be about skill they have said it will be possible for a aurora to take out a constellation for example however if you are being attacked by ships faster than yours chance of you being able to run away will be almost zero so yes will be able to turn the tides but depending on what you are being attacked by chance of you successfully doing so could be really low

from what i've heard fights on this game will be instanced but if you managed to get to the edge of the instance you will be able to escape so im guessing you suddenly get put in a instance zone and you have the option of fighting your enemies or running away, from what ive heard you can also put out a distress call and friends/guildies will be able to enter the instance to help you out if they are close/fast enough

guys please correct me if i'm wrong about this stuff

[Wave]

The game is based heavily towards pilot skill, as well as the weapons you're using.

CR has stated in previous interviews that if you shoot at another ship, it won't be statistics and chance to see if you hit your target. You shoot a round, in the physics engine that round goes along the trajectory it was fired at, and if it hits your opponent, it will damage the ship accordingly. For instance, you can disable a ship by shooting out it's engines. If a bullet rips through your target's navigation systems, it won't be able to jump. If you take out a system, all dependent systems will fail. It will be possible to shoot out life support, if you know where to aim.

The only thing that could stop you from making a jump would be the time required for your navigation system to plot a course, which might leave you open for an attack that would disable you.

As for "Cat and mouse" if you have low-emission gear equipped to your vessel, it will produce less of a heat signature, and be harder to track. There is specialized plating to hide a ship on radar (it is currently featured in the Hornet "Ghost" variant.) A ship could hide by shutting down non-essential systems and wait to ambush an opponent, or to vanish from combat. A good example is in Star Wars, various times pilots have shut down their engines and everything but life support and hidden among debris or asteroids to avoid detection. Similar techniques are also used by submarines.

All of this has been talked about and discussed, and to my knowledge is being implemented in-game.

[Sora Darcia]

think main thing i'm worried about on this game is going to be the learning curve they are going incredibly in depth with it

[MarkusHaven]

I've watched and read so much about this game, but it's hard to get it all. I think you are right about learning curve. There is going to be years worth of tweaking and playing worthy to this game.

I would just like to see the ability to outfit a ship, go exploring, and not have an "instance" every 10 minutes or more often. I guess it just depends on what you want to do. If the odds of getting destroyed come up ALL the time, then odds are you will be killed or destroyed so often you can't get anything else done. Even if you manage to destroy 50% of your PVP attackers a 50/50 kill ratio isn't good for the explorer who has set out to explore. I guess the key here will be for those who DON'T carry heavy weapons they will be able to carry lots of stealth mods. It will be interesting to see how things turn out when the persistent universe begins.

I suppose that's the point in having escorts, but explorers usually go out on their own and the escorts would just draw attention and signature.

The bottom line is that I can't wait to be there and fly with you guys.

I'm looking forward to some real skilled dogfights.

Does anyone know yet how we will easily discern between enemies and friendlies in a frantic 10 ship dogfight? Will there be any indication of the damage level of targeted ships to know how close they are to going boom?