This is to some degree, a feature request, but since we're in a code-freeze, I guess its more of a feature-feasibility-and-practicality-check. Following that, if it is possible, easy enough to implement, and popular, then perhaps this thread will be fresh in the minds of coders once 3.6.10 is released in official form and they start to add features again.
The idea is to add weapons table fields to support a system that would leave a persistent explosion at the point of impact for a weapon. To elaborate, instead of a weapon, say a cap-ship bomb, which hits a capship and you see its impact explosion effect, and maybe some particles trailing away from the point of impact, I'd like to see external fires on the target's hull for some time after the weapon hits. Think of it: bomb hits the hull and breaches it. Sections within are pressurized and fires break out. Over time, the oxygen in that breached area runs out, and the fire dies down. I'd just like to see much more external evidence of a ship that's been taking heavy fire, than a few particles and the occasional electrical arcing. In many sci-fi shows, (B5, BSG) you'll see evidence of hits like that on the target's hull with large fires.
Table fields could indicate the approximate size of the explosion effect, whether or not the weapon should make such impact fires on big-ship or supercap flagged ships (thinking fighter weapons here), and how long the explosion should last (though it could be hard-coded). The fire should also be made to shrink over time. Also, it could do well for large fires to have a series of smaller explosion effects encircling it both to hide the edges of the main explosion effect, and to give it some depth. It may also be more feasible to lump this request with damage decals, so the scar is left behind after the fire has burned itself out. Tie-ins with the armor.tbl system might also be in order, so weapons that can't breach a ship's armor can't leave behind persistent damage fires.
Thoughts?
