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Hosted Projects - Standalone => The Babylon Project => Public Development => Topic started by: Ker.Soth on January 23, 2010, 12:31:07 pm

Title: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: Ker.Soth on January 23, 2010, 12:31:07 pm
This mod includes a new table for starfuries as well as a new weapon i've been itching
to make for some time now.

http://www.mediafire.com/?hgnymlyzzzj

contents are an Aurora MK3 and a new 60mm main weapon for it.

I'm a big fan of Auroras and at the same time i'm not very fond of Thunderbolts so what I basically did is create an Aurora with the maneouverability and almost the speed of the Tbolts. The first missile bank has been updated to mount Bulldogs and the second Panthers. The Bulldog missile bank needed 6 missile slots to accomodate two Bulldogs so i made a new .pof for the MK3 adding two missile mounts below the lower wings.
To avoid overpowering maximum speed and hitpoints are less than the Tbolts.
The reason i ended up adding Bulldogs as well, is avoiding making just a copy of Tbolts with a different .pof which would be more or less pointless. This way the MK3 can be a multipurpose tactical fighter, but at the same time not able to replace Tbolts or Badgers.

As far as the weapon is concerned it is again a matter of personal taste, I find the 40mm PPG bolts a bit to thin for my liking so I made a 60mm version. Because of the 60mm bitmap i've lowered the refire rate to give a better visual, and adapted the damage so the dps is slightly less than the TBolts 45mm PPG. Overall I am still not absolutely sure that the weapon is completely ballanced for the game.

I made this aurora and PPG with the intention of using them in the single player versions of my campaigns, I would really appreciate opinions on ballancing issues since my intention is to have a new Aurora which is a notch above MK2 and a noth below Tbolts. And I repeat, I only made this as a matter of my personal taste.

You will find installation instructions in the included readme.txt file
Title: Re: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: Thaeris on January 23, 2010, 12:34:22 pm
Picture plox!  :D
Title: Re: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: The E on January 23, 2010, 12:35:45 pm
Why did you include a new model? If all you did was to alter tbl values, then that shouldn't have been necessary.
Title: Re: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: Ker.Soth on January 23, 2010, 12:37:53 pm
the MK3 needed 6 missile mounts on the first bank in order to be able to mount 2 bulldogs. I had to make a new model where i added two more, as i explain in my original wall of text. :P
Title: Re: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: IPAndrews on February 05, 2010, 05:05:34 pm
Post screenshots.
Title: Re: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: Gunblaze on April 25, 2011, 03:58:05 pm
I'm ker-soth, this is my new account etc. Here's a download link that actually works. It includes the mod, instructions, pictures and an updated mission from the Emearon Incident campaign so you can try out the MK3.

http://www.mediafire.com/?agqypa7232u00es

And here are some long overdue pics. First is showing the MK3 locking and firing a bulldog

http://img69.imageshack.us/i/missilefire.jpg/

External view of MK3 with bulldogs and panthers

http://img813.imageshack.us/i/advmount.jpg/

External view with Venoms, you can see the 2 missiles mounted on the lower wings which I had to add in the first missile bank in order to be able to house the bulldogs.

http://img862.imageshack.us/i/venmount.jpg/

Here's the Tech Database description of the MK3 ( i know it's a tiny bit long)

Even though EarthForce commissioned the production of Thunderbolts and Badgers to upgrade the fleet's tactical fighter capabilities, this was not done without leaving several gaps.

The fact that both the Thunderbolt and the Badger are two-pilot craft and the hangar upgrades needed to facilitate them in older capital class ships was problematic and time consuming both in resources and personnel. Also the completely redesigned and more sensitive electronics of the T-bolt called for extensive training of EarthForce engineers and added costs for maintenance and the supply of spare parts.

That meant that EarthForce would have to strain its recourses for several years to complete the rehaul of the fleet. EarthForce desided to commission and urgent upgrade on the basic Starfury frame, through the Aurora MK3 program. Tha basic goal was to reroute the electronics of the cost efficient, well tested, well known and amply supplied Aurora  so it could deliver the advanced Bulldog and Panther missiles into the battlefield.

The resulting single-pilot Aurora MK3 is able to deliver up to two Bulldogs and Panthers into the battlefield and sports minimal extra plating largely due to the upgrading of the missile mounts. The top speed of the ship has been somewhat reduced to enhance structural integrity and the ship itself has been paired with the new 60mm Plasma to further reduce maintenance costs.

The Aurora MK3 serves as a temporary filler until Badgers and Thunderbolts reach optimum numbers within the EarthForce fleet. It will likely continue to serve as a nessecary solution to tactical bombing and defence in situations where the deployment of Badgers and Thunderbolts is deemed inpractical or too expensive by the EA


And the Tech Database for the 60mm Plasma.

In an effort to reduce maintenance costs and reroute resources to the construction of the more advanced Thunderbolts and Badgers, the EA decided to commission the construction of a new main weapon for the Aurora MK3 Starfuries that would need minimal maintenance and part replacements. Based on the older and simpler plasma designs the 60mm Plasma equals the Damage Per Second of the 40mm Pulse Cannon while at the same time more than doubles the life expectancy of the Plasma Coils.

Note that the MK3 was meant to only exist in the alternate universe i was making, and simply cause Aurora>Tbolt.
Title: Re: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: Gunblaze on April 28, 2011, 02:25:28 pm
I stumbled upon Bigoudi's HP_Auroras and I coulnd't resist. I tweaked the model's hardpoints a tiny bit and...

1st missile bank is now under the top wings with six hardpoints to hold the bulldogs,

2nd missile bank over the bottom wings normal 4 hardpoints ,

Aurora has 2 gun banks, the second bank where the model's weapons are at the side of  the fuselage and it only takes the custom 60mm plasma, which are now nerfed to keep the DPS close to the 40mm pulse in quad-fire.

Here's some how it looks with bulldogs and panthers

http://img810.imageshack.us/i/hpadv.jpg/

With venoms

http://img713.imageshack.us/i/hpven.jpg/

And the quad guns shown in the weapon selection screen

http://img97.imageshack.us/i/hpquad.jpg/

And quad firing, was tricky to screen but you get the idea

http://img685.imageshack.us/i/quadfire.jpg/

As soon as i manage to contact Bigoudi and get his OK for this, i'll make a custom Emearon campaign for single player  for the HP_aurora

In the meantime, some feedback of what you guys think about the MK3? >.>
Title: Re: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: Slasher on May 10, 2011, 01:59:27 am
Definitely an interesting alternative to the Badger given the firepower it can bring to a fight.
Title: Re: Custom MK3 Aurora MOD
Post by: Gunblaze on May 14, 2011, 03:51:26 am
Thanks, what i am really after is creating a poor cousin for Tbolts and badgers just because i like auroras a lot lot more.

I can't seem to be able to get hold of Bigoudi, i'll give it a few days and then post up a complete single-player Emearon campaign with the HD model. (which is pure awesome)