[jc4jc]

I have seen some interesting threads about  tertiary systems, weapons, targeting modes, sensor slots. This could be use full in many ways. Their could be a way to switch between weapons and different systems. We could have:

*Note Some of the Items I am reiterating from others. They know who they are, so I am not saying everything here is my idea.*

+ Weapons(Primary, Secondary, have a icon for turrets so the player knows that that is a turret),

+ Sensors(targeting and firing modes would be unqunice to each type.(Primative - no locking, Radar(Passive - enhanced stealth for non stealth ships, Semi-active, Active like our modern day fighters), Beam/Guidence(Laser, IR, Ai/User - similaer to TV guided weapondry today ), Advanced - FS2 sensors and targeting, Multi-Target - like our more modren fighters F-15 Strike Eagle and the F-22 Raptor
+Counter measures(Claff - FS2, fire and give the weapon a new target, Flare - Better against heat seekers and creates a small amont of interference for aspect locks, Jammers -Prevents aspect lock for non-primative sensors. Good to put on AWACA's, and on fighters just creates an EMP events on the enemy ship(s). targets change randomly, the hud flikers, and the ship can not lock onto ),

+ Power Systems(Reactor-Unexostable, Power Cell-semi exostable,Fuel-Exostable(Internal and External tanks)

+ Primary and secondary system slots could also be implamented - such as an internal and exteranl system. A good example could be a primary internal Fuel system with secondary exteral fuel pods.

That brings me to another item suggestion. External Warheads(missiles, rockets, and bombs):

+ There could be pods that can be changed to look like different missiles/bombs are in it. The Weapon point could be the pod docking/changing point

+ Also the weapons models could be placed on the model. The loading would take the models of the missiles and place them onto where the weapons points are on the models. An External Weapon tag could be used to say 'put the model on the ship' and the ship.tbl would restrict what could be put where.

I know that this is a large idea but hey they come in that way some times.

[Goober5000]

Phreak has been looking at tertiary weapons for a while.  Some of what you're suggesting is possible with his system.  Other stuff, like the missile pods appearing as physical aspects of the model, isn't something you're likely to see any time soon.

[phreak]

basically it would be done if i could figure out how to change the weapons loadout code.  i'd want to have a system where the bottom bar thats usually the secondary weapons is the mode selector buttons (primary, secondary, tertiary) and the top bar would then be the list of available weapons for the current mode.

[Flaser]

While writting Freespacer I also came up with a lot of techno junk, like different reactor types, different ship frame types.

I may give them a shot a post once it looks worthy.

[jc4jc]

Th processes may take some time to code. However you could do something like this (I don't have the most tecent SCP files I have the original source):

/*Change mask regions for scrollable lines from Primary/Secondary
to item/catagores slot lists.*/

#define ICON_Selection_Slot_0               ##
#define ICON_Selection_Slot_1               ##
#define ICON_Selection_Slot_2               ##
#define ICON_Selection_Slot_3               ##
#define ICON_Catagory_Slot_0               ##
#define ICON_Catagory_Slot_1               ##
#define ICON_Catagory_Slot_2               ##
#define ICON_Catagory_Slot_3               ##

/*Change mask regions for weapon outload buttons to
selection outload buttons*/

#define ICON_Ship_Selection_0               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_1               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_2               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_3               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_4               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_5               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_6               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_7               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_8               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_9               ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_10             ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_11             ##
#define ICON_Ship_Selection_12             ##

This would be in the MissionWeaponChoice.h file.

//Change number of weapon buttons
#define NUM_WEAPON_BUTTONS                      12

//Change overhead coords

static int Wl_bank_count_draw_flags[MAX_WL_WEAPONS] = {
   0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0         // primaries -- dont draw counts
   1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1      // secondaries -- do draw counts
};

//Chande Plist's and Slist's
int Slist[MAX_WEAPON_TYPES];   // used to track scrolling of primary icon list
int Slist_start, Slist_size;

int Clist[MAX_WEAPON_TYPES];   // used to track scrolling of primary icon list
int Clist_start, Clist_size;

//I'm not sure how this would be edited but it would have to change

        //I'm not sure but some of this could be deleted.
   int region_index = ICON_PRIMARY_0+index;
   if ( index > 3 ) {
      region_index = ICON_SECONDARY_0 + (index - 4);
   }

   if ( Wl_mouse_down_on_region != region_index ) {
      return;
   }

   if ( index < 4 ) {
      weapon_class = Plist[Plist_start+index];
   } else {
      weapon_class = Slist[Slist_start+index-4];
   }

this is just a few tems that would be changed. I'm sh=ure that there is more but. I don't have the time to check everywhere right now. maybe later.

[jc4jc]

I hope I didn't shock you guies from posting anymore. That stuff was just to give an idea on how it would look.

[phreak]

i like to visualize changes as they would be like ingame, not as code.  i'd have gone crazy if i did.

[jc4jc]

ok just like you said earlier:
First the weapons selection button at the top would be called Systems. The primary weapons scroll screen would hold the systems to be installed(Weapons, reactors, etc.) the secondary weapons scroll would be the catagory selection. There would be about 6 to 8 slot postions on each side of the fighter. these slots would either postioned acording to where the systems would be place and as each catagory is selected so the image would change to show what systems are where.



I know it's not the best but it gets the point across.

[karajorma]

If you do that PLEASE give us the ability to arm a wing of fighters at a time. Can you imagine the colossal pain in the arse it would be to rearm an entire wing of fighters with that many slots?

[Goober5000]

Well, Black Wolf (I think) made that Arm Wing button.  It would be pretty easy to add a function that sets the entire wing to be like the selected fighter.

[Bobboau]

I like jc4jc's idea, someone implement it!

[Nuke]

thats gonna be a well armed ulysses

[jc4jc]

Well That was just to give an idea of where all the slots will be. I was thinks that one of two things would happen.

--- First when a catagory is selected, the slot postions would be shown. Like secondary and priamriys on either side. Sensors, Reactor(main - most likely the internal duaaaaa), and and Couunter measures  would take up the bottom slots then other systems along the sides. Only the selected system catagory would be seen on the outload screen along with the other systems being in the system selection slot.

--The other would be to limit slots and have the acessable slots highlighted. This way we can specialize ship for spacific missions. fo instance we can have a fighter act like an AWAC by giving it an AWAC sensors, this would require that a regular system maybe secondary or even the primary weapons  would be removed to ad space.

 The Fighter AWACA Idea is another all in itself.

[Trivial Psychic]

This would go along with my idea to make shield generators a tertiary, so the shields of a particular craft could be upgraded throughout a campaign.

[MetalDestroyer]

Interesting... For systeme, i look for different Thruster, Targeting control system, Hull repair (perhaps), Hyperdrive, Shield generator, Weapons generator, chaff system, jamming device, etc ....

[phreak]

i think i new system would be needed then, i liked IW2s loadout mode.  i should take some pics of it for those who haven't played it.

[Nuke]

merge the primary and secondary menues into one. then place some radio buttons (for primary, secondary, tertiary, turret, and equipment) somewhere to change the mode.

[boewolf]

Just a waiving idea.  This may seem a little simple but how about a different loadout screen for weapons and another for equiplemt?

[jc4jc]

That may in fact be a better Idea. Cool. Well As the title suggests I have more ideas. First is a great idea as to obtain gravity. I know that this has been brought up before with little or no support, but hear me out. I have two ideas for how it can be implamented:

First we can create an invisable subsystem called gravity###( the number isn't important right now)on the models or use the center of gravity that is on the models and use the radius as the area of "attraction." This would be great for dogfights around stations and juggenoughts, to see the ships crash into the hull. The effect would be minimal but just nough to require the ships to keep there distance from the larger ships. This could also work in the same way as the subspace vortex. say - place gravity point gravity range and gravity intensaty.

The second would be if you are near a large body like a planet or a star, or even a gas giant. set the orentation just like a background  image the range and intensaty. it woud work like a plane of infant size was pulling in that direction.

in both cases the ships would have to be doing a presis speed to keep from 'falling'.  and stoping  would be insane of coures. also is there a speed in which a ships would insatantly be destroyed or damaged signifacenlty.

[Goober5000]

Gravity is under consideration.